Andy Ruiz Jr. is overly qualified on the subject of Anthony Joshua. In the summer of 2019, the Mexican heavyweight shocked the world by flooring Britain’s face of boxing four times en route to a seventh-round stoppage. It was the peak of Ruiz’ career as he became world champion but his reign was short-lived as he would surrender the title in a rematch to Joshua later that year.
In May, Ruiz, now under the guidance of arguably the world’s best trainer, Eddy Reynoso, will return to the ring for the first time since the Joshua setback as he takes on former world title challenger, Chris Arreola. Although Ruiz’s focus is fully fixed on that fight, he couldn’t resist offering his opinion on the outcome of boxing’s biggest bout that pits his former rival against Tyson Fury.
With a large bulk of details agreed for the heavyweight superfight, official confirmation is still absent as a small number of issues including venue location need to be finalised. It is a fight that will provide boxing’s most glamourous weight class with one official ruler and Ruiz believes that Johsua can emerge victorious when the first bell finally sounds.
“Fury has a really weird style,” said Ruiz to the Daily Mail when taking a well-deserved break from his gruelling training camp with Reynoso. “I feel if Joshua doesn’t box around — like he did to me —and goes forward, throws his combinations, I think Anthony will pull out the victory.”